Why you should hire a professional photographer for your product photos

By: Niraj Gera | Posted: 07th November 2012

At the core of every e-commerce website are the products. Your products are the reason you built the website - and the reason people visit you and browse. If you want to run a successful online business and entice customers to buy, then you need to be able to show your merchandise in the best way possible. So unless you are trained in photography or want to learn, then you should hire a professional product photographer to take the shots for you. You might think this will cost you a lot of money, but it's an investment worth making, and here are a few of the reasons why.

Bad lighting. People who haven't been trained and don't want to learn won't be able to adjust the lighting to make the product look its best. I have come across too many do-it-yourself sites where the owner snapped the photographs himself, and the lighting was too dark. Dimly lit photos are not your only concern; lighting can be poor in coloration too. Natural light - or warm light - is the best choice; man-made lights such as fluorescent lights cast a blue or green tint, making the product seem colder, not as well lit. However, waiting for a sunny day isn't the only solution. Many people don't know how to position themselves or the product to escape overexposure, harsh shadows, or back light. A professional fashion photographer will be able to use both knowledge and tools to capture the product in the best light possible.

Poor background choice. Some people who take the photographs themselves will try to find an appropriate backdrop, but there are others who don't even bother. Your kitchen counter top, table, or walls do not make choice backgrounds - and it can contribute to lighting problems too. Although you could edit the background out in Photoshop, that would take a lot of time and the lighting wouldn't match up with the background you chose, which means you'd have to spend even more time adjusting the lighting. A professional photographer will know where to shoot the products to give them the most appropriate background available; he or she should keep a variety of backdrops on hand as well.

Strange angles. Positioning your products correctly is more important than you might realize. The angles you photograph your product from will either show the details or blur and obscure them. It can be hard to get the right angle, and sometimes being even the slightest bit off can make the photograph come out weird. All the elements come together to make a good photograph, and they all affect each other; in this case, the wrong angle can also affect the lighting. Again, you could use Photoshop to try to correct it, but then the details could end up looking pulled out of proportion or distorted. It's better to get it right the first time.

Poor product photography will cost you customer goodwill and sales. Since customers can't be in person to see the product and handle it, you should do your best to present it in the most attractive way possible - especially since competition is just a click away. To have professional product photographs, it's best to hire someone who knows what he's doing. It may cost you up front but it's an investment you can't afford to miss out on.